Qantas business class seat DROOP

[Quickstatus]

Got unlucky with Business class seat droop again. This time VH-OQJ seat 11E.
QF 11 16 Dec 2014

Spoke to FA who said iits usual for the type of seat.

I tried to prop the droop with carryon luggage but was not high enough. Tried to put luggage on side and it was too high and would not fit under foot end of seat.

FA said no extra blanket available but gave me a pillow which helped propping up the footend a bit but droop remained significant.

I did not ask for upgrade - it's not my practice to do so. My son was in 11F - his seat had less droop but he was happy.

The Skybed MKII seat has 2 hinges. One at the hip area and one just above the knee. The seat then has 3 parts. Back, bottom, foot and hinged at the 2 hinges. The bottom is always horizontal. The back can go from vertical to horizontal. The foot panel can rise from vertical to horizontal.
In a droop the foot end panel does not rise to horizontal.

It's a very difficult position to sleep in because unless you can prop the foot end up the Skybed II can never be flat. Your legs will always be lower than your hips and if you try to lie flat by lowering the back some people will get some degree of back pain - the FA said she gets back pain in the business class seat when trying to lie flat in a drooped seat.

On another note. The CSM was kind enough to let me sit in F for final approach to destination so I can deplane with my wife and another son who were in F already. I was with son in J.

Maybe I should have asked for upgrade. I'm getting a bit tired of this malfunction. Last time I told Customer Care they gave me some points. I care not for points, and I'm sure it will be very hard to get any sort of refund.

It appeared that other seats may have had droop as there were several in rows 11-13 with the foot end panel not horizontal.

I don't believe that Qantas will do anything to fix this problem

I just want my next ride in J to be in a seat WITHOUT DROOP.

I think one way to get Qantas to recognise this is a problem is this :
MODERATORS - can we set up a a sticky thread with a list of Qantas J seats with aircraft registration with a Droop. Passengers can report whether an existing droop has been fixed or not

 

[raleyoz]

I must say each J seat i have had has been the same, can't lie on back as you back is in an arch, and can not lie on your side as side arch is just aweful. Still yet to enjoy / appreciate a J bed , maybe just unlucky but not hurrying back

 

[Daver6]

Had this same issue up to HK and back. I suspect its an old product and most the seats have this problem. Not really good enough in my opinion.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If you don't want droop, fly with an airline that avoids the problem.

Kind of a bit strange that passengers know the QF seats droop, they have experienced them before and been unhappy with them, but still fly with them again.

 

[moa999]

I don't believe that Qantas will do anything to fix this problem

I just want my next ride in J to be in a seat WITHOUT DROOP.

I think one way to get Qantas to recognise this is a problem is this :
MODERATORS - can we set up a a sticky thread with a list of Qantas J seats with aircraft registration with a Droop. Passengers can report whether an existing droop has been fixed or not

I don't think it needs a sticky.
Apart from equipping each seat with a correct heighted plastic footstool to put under the seat, you can't stop it happening, it is a function of a design of the equipment and I suspect pax putting too much weight on the ends

With the A330 refresh just starting and taking another two years, I wouldn't expect anything to change for a few years

 

[redslert]

Fully-stuffed-backpack plus a pair of shoes to prop up the seat.

Very uncomfortable without the aid to level the foot rest.
Better off sleeping in Z 'Sundeck' position.

 

[eosphoros]

Apart from equipping each seat with a correct heighted plastic footstool to put under the seat, you can't stop it happening, it is a function of a design of the equipment and I suspect pax putting too much weight on the ends

Yes. Or, as I have observed, pax standing on the foot end of their flat bed when rummaging through their luggage in the overhead bins. Why this seems like a good idea is beyond me.

With the A330 refresh just starting and taking another two years, I wouldn't expect anything to change for a few years

I hope that if and when QF pull the trigger on their remaining 8 A380s, we will see a new J product refresh.

ETA: on the problem of droops, it is for this reason why I have come to prefer the Mk I seats lately. At least most of those are flat, rather than droopy. No one in their right mind would stand on the end of one of those.

 

[amaroo]

Apart from equipping each seat with a correct heighted plastic footstool to put under the seat, you can't stop it happening, it is a function of a design of the equipment and I suspect pax putting too much weight on the ends

It's a prime example of a poor design and a product not fit for purpose.

 

[eosphoros]

It's a prime example of a poor design and a product not fit for purpose.

I wonder if similar flat bed designs have the same issue.

 

[moa999]

Function of a side by side design. Unless you want the window pax to jump over a horizontal bed next to then, you can't have it slotting into a fixed support

 

[amaroo]

Function of a side by side design. Unless you want the window pax to jump over a horizontal bed next to then, you can't have it slotting into a fixed support

LOL someone needs to contact QF and get them to change their misleading BS marketing...

Once you’ve made use of our extensive storage space, shift your seat into a position that suits you, using a wide range of seat adjustments. You can explore the seat’s unique massage options or settle in to enjoy your own personal inflight entertainment. You might just want to flick on your reading light and snuggle into your Skybed cocoon with a good book. When you’re ready to sleep, convert your Marc Newson-designed, second generation Skybed into a two-metre, fully-flat bed.

When CX realised they selected a pig (coffin) they moved on and re-fitted the best J seat in the market.... How long before QF will do this?

 

[Quickstatus]

Function of a side by side design. Unless you want the window pax to jump over a horizontal bed next to then, you can't have it slotting into a fixed support

mine was an E seat meaning that no one climbs over E as F is also an aisle seat

OK folks - i have som cmeasurements:

my carryon when laid flat is 23cm high. This was not enough to raise the droop significantly.

when I put the carryon on its side it is 38 cm high but this is too high to slip under the drooped section.

My guess is that you will need something about 30-35cm to eliminate the droop.

 

[eosphoros]

When CX realised they selected a pig (coffin) they moved on and re-fitted the best J seat in the market.... How long before QF will do this?

What was the timeline for that? I doubt that they were removed immediately.

 

[raleyoz]

Often people stand on theirs to get over the neighbor seat

 

[amaroo]

What was the timeline for that? I doubt that they were removed immediately.

IIRC <10 years they went from slope > herringbone (coffin) > best J product in the market.

 

[Quickstatus]

Often people stand on theirs to get over the neighbor seat

E and F seats are aisle seats. Mine was a E seat. So no one climbs over E or F seats unless they wanted to get to the other side - maybe the loos on the other side were available

I Noticed that 11B did not have the droop

 

[russ]

I hate the droop. It's one reason I tried ANZ on my most recent trip to the USA.

QF: You are losing business!

 

[raleyoz]

E and F seats are aisle seats. Mine was a E seat. So no one climbs over E or F seats unless they wanted to get to the other side - maybe the loos on the other side were available

I Noticed that 11B did not have the droop

Yes my mistake

 

[RichardMEL]

IMHO the NZ seat has its own flaws - specially if you have long legs. Just sayin'

 

[yohy?!]

Cx herringbone is still preferable to QF skybed II for me, never any droop and far more private.

I understand why it's claustrophobic for some but for me I loved it especially upstairs on the 747 where you could lie in your front and enjoy the window view.